Amusement device



B. F. RCHER AMUSEMEN DEVICE Filed Sept. 9, 1935 Belle mrcben Patented Apr. 14, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AMUSEMENT DEVICE The invention relates toan improvement in amusement devices generally and more particularly to a sling-shot or projector type thereof.

An object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which will be effective in hurling or shooting an aerial projectile an appreciable height or distance from a position of use, so

' as to be highly amusing and entertaining, particularly to children.

Another object of the invention has to do with the provision of an aerial projectile for the slingshot or projector and it is made in a manner and from a material that will minimize otherwise possible injury to the person, or damage to property, in its use.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of a sling-shot or projector and an aerial projectile therefor which is of extreme simplicity in construction, easy to manipulate, and cheap in manufacture.

With these and other equally important objects and advantages in view, the invention resides-in the certain new and useful combination, construction and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, set forth in the appended claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is an elevation of a form of the device,

Figure 2 is a plan View of a blank for forming the dicharge tube and the means for the attachment of the resilient projector element to the tube,

Figure 3 is a plan view of the free end of the resilient projector element and shows the seat formation thereof for effecting the discharge of the projectile, and

Figure 4 is a slightly enlarged, fragmentary section to illustrate the manner of attaching the discharge tube and the projector element to-- gether.

Referring to the drawing, wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts in the several views thereof, the embodiment of the invention, as is exemplified therein, is com prised in a tubular member I0, preferably made from sheet metal or the like, and a resilient member l2, preferably having the form of a length of coiled spring wire; the two members being suitably coupled together in end to end relation, substantially as is shown in Figure 1.

The member [0, when made of sheet metal, is preferably produced from a blank which is first cut to the required shape and thereafter rolled to bring its opposite side edges together for their 55 jointure by a flat seam. One end edge of the New Haven, Conn.

9, 1935, Serial No. 39,859

blank is cut to form a series of tongues II which are preferably equidistantly spaced apart, when the blank is rolled into 'tube form.

As shown, the member ID and the resilient member l2 are each preferably of a tapered formation from end to end, with the larger end of the lattter substantially abutted against the smaller end of the former, in which relation they are coupled together by bending the several tongues ll over and about the first adjacent of the convolutions of the coiled spring forming the resilient member.

These tongues H are preferably inturned for their engagement with the spring end and in a manner to have their free end portions flatly abutted against the inner surface of the tubular member ID. If desired or necessary, the free ends of the tongues ll may be permanently secured to the member [0 in a suitable manner.

The smaller or free end of the resilient member is formed to provide a seat l3 for the shot or projectile l4, the latter being substantially cylindrical in form and insertable inwardly of the larger or free end of the tubular member I0 to bring an end thereof to rest upon the seat, after the manner shown in Figure 1, wherein the projectile is depicted in broken lines.

The shot or projectile [4 may be made from any suitable material, but it is preferably formed from solid, pliable rubber, in order to be comparatively safe in its use by children at play and against "damage or injury to property or person.

As shown, the shot or projectile I4 is preferably of substantially elongated form and has its ends rounded off to avoid sharply angled edges and to reduce air resistance in its flight or trajectory. Also, these rounded ends facilitate the firm bearing of either of them on the seat l3, when engaged therewith for discharge.

In the use of the device, as thus constructed and arranged, the tubular member or sleeve [9 is firmly gripped in one hand and the shot or projectile I4 is then inserted endwise inwardly of its larger or free end and until the inner end bears against the seat H3 at the smaller or free end of the resilient member l2, when the latter is grasped by the other hand and subjected to a pulling action to stretch it to a desired degree of tension. Now, by releasing the grasped end of the resilient member I2, it will contract and forcibly eject the shot or projectile outwardly of the larger or free end of the tubular member or sleeve H), which is still firmly gripped in the first mentioned hand.

Thus, by aiming the larger or free end of the tubular member [0 toward an object, such as a targetor the like, the flight of the shot or projectile I4 may be accurately controlled and to a greater or lesser degree, depending upon the acquired skill of the user.

As shown in Figure 1, the resilient member [2 is preferably of a tightly coiled spring formation in order to give a maximum of contractile force thereto when stretched to place it under tension, and, also, to cause it to keep its required alignment with the tubular member i0 and prevent thereby any tendency to interfere with a proper discharge of the projectile l4 therefrom and outwardly through the tubular member.

In the makeup of the device, it is also preferred that the tubular member I0 and the projector spring l2 be substantially of equal length, and the projectile 14 of a length nearly equal, if not actually so, to the combined length thereof.

Having thus fully described a specific form of the invention, it will be understood that various changes in form and details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention, or its scope as claimed.

What I claim is:

1. In a projector of the class described, a tapered tubular member, a resilient member coupled to the smaller end of the tubular member, a seat carried by the resilient member, and a projectile adapted for insertion inwardly of the tubular member and engagement with the seat whereby it will be forcibly projected outwardly of the tubular member when the resilient memher is placed under tension and subsequently released.

2. The projector as set forth in claim 1, wherein the resilient member is in the form of a length of spring coil having one end attached to an end of the tubular member and its other end formed to provide the seat for the projectile.

3. The projector as set forth in claim 1, wherein the resilient member is in the form of a length of tightly coiled wire spring, the spring coil being tapered, with its larger end attached to the tubular member and its smaller end formed to provide the seat for the projectile.

4. The projector as set forth in claim 1, wherein the tubular member and the resilient member are uniformly tapered throughout their combined length, with the larger end of the latter coupled to the smaller end of the former, and the seat for the projectile is formed at the smaller end of the resilient member.

BELLE F. ARCHER. 

